Insight of an Accident: One Year after Cam Newton's Car Crash

The remains of the Toyota Corolla I was driving on June 28, 2013 when I was in a head-on collision. 

By: Tim Durr

Today is the one-year anniversary of Cam Newton's horrific car accident in the shadow of Bank of America Stadium and almost every site that covers the Carolina Panthers has a story on it. 

They range from simply rehashing the events that took place with a few updated quotes sprinkled in, to full blown analysis about how Newton has grown into a better leader and how an event like that changes you. 

I'm not going to take the "how has he become a better leader? did the accident affect that?" approach. It's been worn down and frankly does an injustice to claim he went from inability to lead to great leader because of one event. 

The person you are before an accident is the person who gets through the accident and the one who comes out on the other side.

There aren't many things I have in common with Cam Newton. I mean, other than both being 6'4-ish, Charlotte residents who are strikingly good-looking (hey, i'm trying to be lighthearted before getting into the serious stuff).  

We have both experienced serious car accidents. So, instead of dissecting how the accident changed him, I'm going to focus on my mindset throughout the whole process.

I haven't sat down and picked Cam's brain to see if he feels the same as me but I remember the first time I heard him talk in person during training camp in Spartanburg. Today, he reiterated those things when reflecting on what happened.

It sounded like the type of things that I preached to people after my accident. Talks of enjoying the journey, realizing that it could all be gone in an instance so you have to make every moment the best, and never fearing what is being said around you. 

The thing is, I didn't start telling people about having a proper perspective and living a fulfilling life only after my accident, I did before and so did Newton. 

After a serious accident, or through any trying time in life, you're forced to look in the mirror and make a decision if you're going to give up, or keep fighting through it. 

It also reminds you that we're promised nothing in this life and that it could all be gone in a moment's notice. 

When I heard about Newton's accident a year ago, I immediately thought about the accident I went through 18 months prior. 

I had to rehab for eight months and learn to walk again after fracturing my pelvis in the accident. Like Newton's, my accident was no fault of my own. 

That's probably what made it the hardest to keep the positive attitude and the right perspective. It served as a reminder that you don't have full control of everything, and you shouldn't spend your time worrying about what you can't control. 

You can always control your attitude and your perspective on a situation and while I was relying on doctors, physical therapists, family, and friends, finding a way to stay positive carried me through it all. 

I got through it with their help and during the rehab process I applied to and was accepted at Syracuse University for my Masters degree in Broadcast Journalism.

I likely would have applied to Syracuse and gone through the process without the accident occurring because an accident isn't a person-changing event, it's a life-changing event. 

I'm still the same person I was before the accident happened. Only, I'm a little more focused on enjoying life and cherishing each opportunity that I have.

That's exactly what Newton is doing, too. It's evidenced by his outstanding fourth-quarter performance this year and the extra dabs we see each Sunday. 

Let's leave the talk about Cam being a leader at the door. He was a leader before the accident and is a leader now, a few years of maturity to go from age 22 to 26 helped him grow as a leader, not a car accident.

Instead, let's understand why he has so much fun on the field, and why the car accident did nothing but accentuate the traits he already possessed.

He's having fun with life and enjoying every moment of it. A major car accident and an understanding of the fragility of life only serve as a reminder to raise the enjoyment of life a few notches on the priority list.

While you're chasing whatever goal you set in front of yourself, whether it's going to grad school or winning a Super Bowl, when you have hurdles to jump and mountains to climb along the way, remember this: "Never Forget the Journey".